Don't mention it Ever
by Anderstoast
Summary: When did Jill and Rebecca come to S.T.A.R.S.? When did Joseph join the Alpha Team? How did the mansion incident change Chris and the others? That and much more is covered in this story about the life before, during and after the outbreak.
1. Chapter 1

**Resident Evil****: Don't mention it. Ever.**

_Chapter 1_

"The summer this year is the warmest one Raccoon city have had so far and looking at these forecasts, we can see that within a week, the summer will get a whole lot warmer."

On a huge screen in the central of Raccoon city, a weather reporter is pointing at different statistics, explaining more about the upcoming heat wave that hits the city within the next week. Since the beginning of June, the citizens have gotten their vacation and chose to stay in the city to enjoy the weather.

"This is really starting to get on my nerves, Barry." Chris Redfield, a member of the S.T.A.R.S Alpha team, the special tactics and rescue squad of the Racoon City Police Department, is waiting for his coffee at the local café with his partner Barry Burton from the same team.

"I know how you feel. Raccoon city has never been crowded on a summer in several years." Barry said as he looked around to get a glimpse of the other people in the café, while scratching his beard.

A waitress passed them and gave them their coffee and the two men thanked her. Chris wondered why they were drinking coffee on a warm day like today, but instead chose to continue their conversation, while sitting with the cup in his hand.

"We'll, it's even more annoying that we haven't got our vacation yet." Chris said and sighed, staring at his cup of coffee. Barry smiles at him and puts his cup down.

"I thought you loved the job." He said to Chris' remark.

Chris leans back in his chair and looks at Barry. Barry and Chris had been in the same military unit before their career in S.T.A.R.S and have known each other for a long time. Barry was older than him, Chris turning 25 soon and Barry being around the 40, which often caused them to have a different opinion on things.

Barry's career ended before Chris' and joined S.T.A.R.S not long after that. When Chris left the military some time after Barry, Barry recommended Chris to the S.T.A.R.S unit, who was then given a job on the same team as Barry.

"I do, no doubt, but don't tell me you don't need some time with your family?" Chris said and put his cup down. Barry had finished his coffee rather quickly and put it down on the table, getting eye contact with Chris.

"I do need it, but you knew that we are required to work over a long period. I have duties that are required to be prioritised over my family." Barry said as he slowly rose from his seat.

Chris looked at his cup. He knew that he touched a topic that Barry kind of hated to talk about, so he put his cup down and just rose from his seat, letting a full cup be on the table.

Chris knew he wasn't in a position to want a vacation because he's annoyed with working late. Barry had a wife and two wonderful kids at home that he didn't see often because of work and probably wanted to get a vacation more than him, but knows that he had to fulfil his duties as a member of S.T.A.R.S before even talking about vacation. Chris knew he should probably change the subject and get Barry's mind off to something else.

"I heard that someone from the Bravo team is getting moved to our team." Chris told Barry. The Bravo team was another part of S.T.A.R.S and despite being part of the same unit, the Bravos and Alphas never worked together on cases.

"Yeah, I was told. I think it's Joseph Frost that's getting the promotion." Barry said as they walked out of the café and went down the street. "He really worked hard on getting it."

Chris smiled to himself. Joseph was a really outgoing fellow with a positive attitude. Chris got a good impression of him when he was first introduced to him, but now that he thought about it, he never really talked a lot with him.

"It's probably announced at the meeting today." Chris said as he looked at his watch.

"What time is it?" Barry asked Chris.

"It's 20 past 2. There's about 40 minutes to the meeting actually." He answered and dried some sweat of his forehead. The heat was really getting to him now that they were outside in the sun again.

"Here" Barry said as he took out a cloth. Chris took it and dried the sweat off his forehead and thanked him. "Thanks."

Chris watched the weather report on the big screen on the large building across the street. The news about another heat wave wasn't helping on his mood, but Chris chose to ignore the negative thoughts going through his mind. Instead, he handed the cloth back to Barry and sighed.

"What's up with you today?" Barry asked and padded Chris on the shoulder. Chris shrugged and shook his head lightly and didn't answer him. Barry knew the answer by looking at Chris' poor attempt to show him how he felt with gestures and just laughed at him.

After a short walk down the street, they finally came to the Raccoon Police Department and Chris pulled a pack of smokes from his pocket. Barry looked at him and raised a brow.

"I thought you said you got rid of that habit?" He said and Chris stared at his cigarette. "It was the last pack I bought before stopping. There's only one left." He answered while he tossed the pack into the garbage can nearby.

Barry opened the door to the R.P.D and before entering he looked back at Chris. "I can imagine how it is. Promise me it's the last one, Chris."

Chris nodded at him and put the cigarette in his mouth, getting the lighter from his other pocket. "Ok. I'll just finish what I started and then it's over." He answered and lit the cigarette.

Barry had already shut the door behind him and Chris stood out in front of the R.P.D alone, looking at the surroundings. Not that there were any, but the people crowding the streets made Chris interested in what was going on.

After getting halfway through his cigarette, he saw a figure walking towards the gates in front of the building. As the figure came closer, Chris could identify the figure as a young female.

"Excuse me, is this the Racoon city Police Department?" She asked and looked at him. Chris stared at her and pointed at the big letters, R.P.D right above the door to the building. "Yeah." He answered.

The young woman closed her eyes end shortly shook her head, obviously feeling stupid for asking and then opened the gates, approaching Chris afterwards. Chris looked at her and she looked at him. Or at least Chris thought so. She was staring at his cigarette and Chris knew that she obviously didn't like when people were smoking.

Chris threw the rest of the cigarette down at the dirt and squished it with his boot. "I'm sorry, it's the last cigarette before stopping." The young woman smiled at his remark, thinking it was a pathetic attempt to give a good impression and opened the doors to the R.P.D.

Chris looked at her features. She had short brown hair and what he thought to be blue eyes. He never really caught much of her, but didn't care anymore when she suddenly turned her head and busting him in checking her out.

"You're working here aren't you?" she asked him, still holding the door of the R.P.D building. "Yeah, I am." He answered and just stood there dumbfounded at the fact that she caught him looking at her.

"Well, are you coming? I'm not holding the door forever." She said and held the door for Chris to enter the building with her. "Yeah. Thanks." Chris said and went in, the young woman shutting the door behind them.

"The name's Jill Valentine." she said and smiled at him, reaching out to him to shake his hand. Chris shook her hand. "Chris. Chris Redfield." He introduced himself to her and after they stopped greeting each other, Chris looked at his watch.

"Well, I got a meeting soon. Nice meeting you." he said. Jill nodded at him and they split, going their own direction.


	2. Chapter 2

**Resident Evil: ****Don't mention it. Ever.**

_Chapter 2_

"I wondered where you've been at." Chris was greeted by Barry as he came to the S.T.A.R.S office. Barry had been waiting for him outside the office on the deserted hallway. No one really came to the S.T.A.R.S office, not even the police, so the hallways were always deserted.

"I was just saying goodbye to my habit." he answered and scratched the back of his head. "Oh well. Are you ready for the meeting?" Barry asked and Chris took a look at his watch. "Yeah, I am." he answered.

The door to the office opened and Albert Wesker, the captain of the Alpha team, stepped out into the hallway and greeted his team. "Chris. Barry." He said as he nodded to both of them. "I see you are ready. Let's head to the meeting room, shall we?"

Chris respected Wesker a lot and so did many others, but Wesker wasn't the sort of person who gave a positive first time impression. Wesker wore black sunglasses all the time and never really took them off. Chris wondered why he always wore them, but never asked because Wesker had a bad mood, and honestly, Chris wanted to avoid pissing him off. He never expressed himself though, always having a cold attitude, but, that was how Wesker was.

As they went down the stairs to the first floor, where the meeting room was, the three men didn't have any kind of conversation before Wesker broke the silence.

"Chris, Barry, I need you to meet me after the team meeting. I have some news for you." Wesker said calmly without looking at them and slowly passed them. Chris and Barry, walking behind Wesker, looked at each other. Chris chose to break the silence this time.

"Bad news?" He simply asked and Wesker chuckled lightly. Chris wondered what was so funny. Wesker rarely found anything amusing and Chris felt uneasy because of Wesker's reaction to his question.

"Only time will show, Chris." He answered him and stepped down the last step of the stairs. As they followed, Barry took a look at Chris. He could see that he was thinking over what Wesker had said to him. Barry was amused by it, because Chris always took Wesker seriously and was now thinking intensively over his answer. Barry put his hand on Chris' shoulder.

"Don't think about it, Chris, he's just messing with you." He said. Chris looked at him like he didn't believe him at all, but chose not to worry about it.

Wesker opened the doors to the meeting room. Inside was Joseph Frost from the Bravo team and Brad Vickers from the Alpha team sitting right beside him. Chris greeted them both and took a seat beside Brad.

Brad was a nice guy and skilled at flying, but usually he also tended to get nervous and stressed during missions and endangered his team mates when panicking, still, Chris wasn't the guy who judged people.

"Hi. You must be new here. Mind if I sit beside you?" Chris heard Barry say and turned around to look at him. Barry was talking to the exact same girl that Chris met outside the R.P.D.

"No, not at all." She said and Barry sat down beside her, starting to introduce himself to her. Chris' attention to the two was broken when Wesker began to speak.

"Ok, everyone, we are now beginning the meeting." He said and positioned himself in front of the blackboard located at the end of the room.

"I have some points to go through during this meeting. Firstly, we are promoting the Bravo team member, Joseph Frost, who will work for our team from now on." He began as people started clapping before Wesker was done. Joseph smiled, but the smile faded when Wesker broke the clapping.

"I'm not done yet." He said loudly, but calmly, enough for people to stop clapping. He continued. "Secondly, we are getting a second new member, coming directly from the Delta Force. Jill Valentine."

When Wesker told them that, Chris was shocked. He slowly looked at Jill from the corner of his eyes and wondered how a young woman like her could be in the Delta Force. Chris knew that the Delta Force didn't take just anyone into their team. Chris' thoughts were broken as Wesker continued.

"You know I love short speeches and today is no exception. Tomorrow we have training starting at 6 am. I expect you to be ready half an hour before training starts. Use the time to get the newcomers to feel welcome." Wesker continued as he looked at Jill and Joseph. "Valentine, Frost, go to the central desk in the entrance and get your locker key. In your lockers are badges and uniforms. The number on the key will tell you where your locker is located." He looks at Joseph and continues. "Frost, your things have been moved to a new locker, so there are no new routines to get familiar with. Please, show Valentine around while you are locating your lockers."

Wesker looks at Chris and Chris knew he had eye contact with him, even if Wesker wore those sunglasses.

"Chris, you and Barry are staying here with me for a private conversation. The rest of you can go. The meeting is dismissed." He said and people started rising from their seats.

Jill, Joseph and Brad left the meeting room while the others stayed. Wesker gave the gesture to sit, to Chris and Barry, who then took their seats again.

"Since we got some new members, I had to rearrange the team a bit." He started. "Chris, your partner will no longer be me, instead it will be Jill Valentine. Barry, yours will not be Brad anymore, since he will be assisting Joseph. Instead, I will be assisting you. Are we clear?"

Chris and Barry were fine with the decision and nodded. "You are dismissed. We will be trying the new rearrangement tomorrow at our training session."

With that, Chris and Barry rose from their seats and went to get out of the meeting room. Chris was in deep thoughts again. He didn't like the fact that Barry no longer had to prioritise having Chris' back covered anymore, but taking it as a man, he had to get used to work with the newcomer, Jill Valentine. He knew she had to have some potential, being from the Delta Force. At the hallway, Chris and Barry split with their captain who returned to his office at the second floor.

"Nice girl, that Jill." Barry said, getting Chris' attention.

"I haven't really talked to her that much. I got to know her name, but that's it." He answered and Barry smiled at him.

"Well, she seems to be nice. I hope she won't give you any trouble." He said and padded him on his back as he usually did, chuckling. Chris smiled at him at that remark, knowing that Barry knew how he hated to work with rookies.

"I'll be just fine. I think she has the guts to be a S.T.A.R.S." he answered. Barry nodded at Chris' remark and waved at him. "Well, I'll be heading up to my office. There's some paper work to do before I can get home." He said.

"Yeah. I got some too, but I think I will have a little talk with the Valentine girl before I'll be joining you." He said and Barry nodded at him. "Ok, Chris, good luck." He told Chris before leaving up the stairs.


	3. Chapter 3

**Resident Evil: ****Don't mention it. Ever.**

_Chapter 3_

Chris entered the entrance of the R.P.D. Never had he seen it so crowded with policemen, but that just made it harder for him to see Jill in the crowd. Chris narrowed his eyes and tried to see if he could find any trace of either Joseph or Jill, while walking into the crowd. Chris grew frustrated and decided just to head for the small office in the middle of the entrance.

"Can I help you?" A secretary asked him as he approached the little office.

"Yeah. Did a woman with the name Jill Valentine come here to retrieve her key?" He asked and leaned his elbows against the desk.

"No" She answered and began looking for a key. "It's still here, sir." She continued while showing him the key. Chris removed his elbows from the desk. "Well thank you anyway." He said and left.

Chris felt that further frustration was coming to him. He was getting angry, feeling that this wouldn't be the first time that he had to look for Jill. Without worrying about her further, he chose to return to the S.T.A.R.S office to finish his paperwork and then get off duty for the rest of the day. Inside the office, Barry was sitting by his desk doing said paperwork.

"Hey, Barry." Chris said as he entered, Barry nodded, keeping his attention to his paperwork. Chris couldn't see Wesker anywhere. "Where's Wesker?" He asked.

"Not sure. He said he had to talk to Enrico about something." Barry answered him.

Chris chuckled to himself and sat down by his own desk, looking at his paperwork imagining what Wesker was talking to Enrico about. He was probably annoyed by Joseph's promotion. Enrico and Wesker were what you'd call the odd couple. Enrico was serious about everything and rarely in a good mood and so was Wesker. You would believe that they could get along, but they have never been able to agree with each other when it came to the S.T.A.R.S. They were both captains of the teams of the S.T.A.R.S unit, but as always, Wesker wanted to interfere with the Bravo team and Enrico didn't want any interference from Wesker.

Chris took his paperwork and started going through it.

With a sigh, Chris began to read the papers, occasionally rubbing his temples. Chris got bored after a couple of minutes and halfway through his work, his eyes started to drift around his desk. They stopped at the picture of him and a younger woman.

Chris took the picture, smiling at the memory of the moments with his sister before she started attending college. Now that she was a college student, Claire rarely had time to visit him, and honestly, Chris missed having to take care of his sister. Claire always got into trouble because of her impulsive nature and her carefree attitude and Chris was the one who had to get her out of it.

She occasionally rang to Chris and told him how she was doing, but it just didn't feel like the same.

Chris put the picture back and returned to his paper work. At that very moment, Barry rose from his seat and Chris' attention was brought to him.

"You're already finished?" He asked him. "No, not yet." Barry answered while walking to the door. "I'm getting something to drink. Do you want me to bring you something?" He asked him as he turned around to look at Chris.

"Just a bottle of water." He answered and returned to his paperwork. Barry nodded and went out the door, closing it behind him.

Barry went down the stairs to the first floor again and into the entrance. Like Chris, Barry was tired and worn out. Maybe it was the age, he thought, but his job at S.T.A.R.S was also exhausting. Both the S.T.A.R.S and the police of the R.P.D usually didn't get their vacation when a lot of work had to be done, but they all had their right to get vacation when they needed to, the only problem was that they only had a certain amount of vacation days to use per year and should be used wisely. Barry always waited to use these days of vacation for Christmas eve and then again during the summer. He didn't spend much time with his family. He wanted to, but something always came in the way when he had planned something with his daughters and wife. Right now, all he thought was to do his work and get home in the arms of his family.

"Hey, Barry, right?" he heard someone say and got out of his deep thoughts. Behind him stood Jill and Joseph and Barry greeted them.

"Yeah. Hey. Have you found your lockers?" He asked, shaking their hands.

"Yeah. I chose to show her some of the R.P.D while we were at it." Joseph answered. "Ah." Barry said and looked at Jill, who was just listening to the conversation.

"So, looking forward to work with us, Jill?" He asked. Jill lightened up a bit. "Yeah. I'm really looking forward to training with you guys." She answered.

Barry found Jill to be very kind and nice and knew that they would get along just fine. "Well, a person from the Delta force will do just fine in our unit. It really amazes me how a young woman like you had made it to the force. How old are you?" he asked her.

Jill scratched her chin a little. Many asked her that question and it was usually because they doubted her. She thought about it for a while and chose to answer him anyway. "I'm 22." She simply answered him.

Barry had a hard time believing it, but didn't think she would lie. "That's really impressive, Jill." He said and padded her on the shoulder. "I would love to talk a little more, but I promised Chris I would get something to drink. He may start to wonder where I am. He's not the patient type." He said while laughing.

"Chris?" Jill asked.

"Yeah, we've known each other before S.T.A.R.S, so you could say we are good friends." He answered and waved at them. "I'll talk to you later, I need to get Chris his water." He said and by that, he left.

Joseph and Jill looked at each other. "You know Chris, Joseph?" she asked him and Joseph shrugged.

"Not quiet. I've talked to him a bit. He seems as a really nice guy." He answered. "You don't know who he is, do you?" He asked.

Jill nodded. "We talked a bit, but I only got his name. He did seem nice, but you guys probably know him better than I do…" she trailed off and started mumbling a bit. Joseph laughed at her.

"What? Something's wrong?" He asked. Jill shook her head. "No, no. It's just since I'm new. I guess I want to fit in with the team."

Joseph padded her arm lightly and grinned. "Well, you'll get your chance tomorrow at training." Jill nodded. "Well, I got to go. I still serve as a Bravo team member for the rest of the day. I got to move the rest of my stuff." He continued.

"Ok. I think I'll go get familiar with the office. I'm not officially working on the team before tomorrow, so I'll just go fix some things and head home." She said. "But hey, thanks a lot for showing me around. It was really nice of you." She said and they shook hands. "No problem, Jill." Joseph said and released her hand. They both said their goodbyes and left to do what they needed to.

Jill headed for the staircase leading to the second floor, thinking about her new team-mates. She was lucky to be accepted despite her age and actually, she didn't think it was so bad. Joseph, Chris and Brad weren't much older than her and Barry was a kind man, used to his younger co-workers. Jill was a very cheerful person and decided that she would try and mingle with the team tomorrow at training. As she got to the door leading to the S.T.A.R.S office, she opened it and looked around to get an impression of how her new office looked like. She stopped thinking about it when she saw Chris still working. Jill was a bit annoyed that Chris hadn't noticed her get in and decided to get his attention.

"Bored, huh?" She said and Chris saw who it was, moving his attention to his team member.

"Huh? No, not at all." He said and went back to his paperwork. "Actually, I was looking for you earlier." He continued.

Jill looked a little confused and actually, she was. "You have?" she asked.

"Yeah. Uhm, you can take a seat, Jill." He said and pointed at the chair beside the door, wondering why she acted like some shy school girl. Jill looked beside her and saw the chair he was pointing at. She realised that she just stood there in the entrance, looking like she had nothing better to do. Jill chose to take the chair and sat down beside Chris' desk, hiding her embarrassment.

"Why do I have the feeling that you won't stop embarrassing me for a while?" She asked him and Chris smiled at the comment.

Chris didn't want to answer that question and chose to talk about something else. "As I was saying, I looked for you to kind of making up for the bad impression I must have given earlier." He said and Jill couldn't hide the wide smile she got on her lips, remembering his pathetic attempts of giving a good impression.

"It's ok. I know you're a nice guy, but if that's what you want, how about we start all over?" She asked him. Chris reached his hand out to her. Jill was a little confused and just shook his hand.

"I'm Chris Redfield." He said. Jill realised what he was trying to do and went along with his weird way of starting over. "Nice to meet you. I'm Jill. Jill Valentine."


End file.
